Artist of the day: DJ KU

For DJ Charles Ku, rocking the crowd takes more than knowing how to use a turntable and mix together songs.

You've got to watch the dance floor, adapt to the audience and toss in surprises to keep people coming back.

That attitude earned Ku the Red Bull Thre3Style Regional Title last month in Charlotte, N.C. The longtime Tampa resident heads to Orlando June 21-23 to compete against nine DJs for the national crown.

Known as DJ KU, he credits the win to his stage presence and versatility more than his technical skills. Each contestant had to perform a 15-minute set containing three genres. He chose rock, house and hip-hop — his favorite.

"He's eclectic, original and creative with his selection of songs. A lot of the DJs stick to the same hits, but he puts in songs that people don't expect,'' said Carlos Corcho, the west Florida rep for the Red Bull Music Academy who goes by the stage name DJ Chang Bang. "He's one of the best mashup DJs in the area.''